May 2025 – Issue 4
HEAD’S REVIEW
Head’s Introduction
Well done to 26 students in Year 9, who represented their year-group brilliantly last night by taking on the i360 Sky Walk! They were on the roof of the pod, with friends and family looking up through the glass at them as they moved in circles around the central column. This event was for Raystede, their year-group charity, and it gave a massive boost to the total Year 9 has raised since September, which stands at over £4800 –congratulations! This is the first of a series of large-scale year-group charity events over the coming weeks, including the MNDA 24-Hour Challenge, the Peacehaven Cliffs abseil, and the Off The Fence Sleep-Out. Well done to everyone involved, particularly to Mr Wilson, and I'm very proud of the brave girls!
I am sure that entire Roedean community will join me in celebrating OR Marisa Abela’s BAFTA. She was awarded this incredible accolade in the Leading Actress category in a glittering and star-studded awards' ceremony on Sunday. I have no doubt that she will be an inspiration to any of our students who are desperate to pursue a career in the creative industries – they can be cut-throat, but they can also be hugely rewarding. Well done, Marisa!
Biology Fieldtrip to Wakehurst
I am delighted that the Year 11s and 13s who have had public examinations this week have been able to approach them with quiet confidence, and I am sure that this will help them to perform to their best – I am grateful to Mr Halsey and Ms Sturgeon, their Heads of Year, for their positive and reassuring presence before every exam. Well done, and good luck for next week’s A Level and GCSE papers.
With end of year assessments taking place next week for all except Year 12, there has understandably been a focus on academic work, but I am delighted that so many other activities have continued to run this week, including musicians performing in the lovely teatime recital on Tuesday, some of the CCF cadets completing their Skill at Arms test at Lancing on Wednesday, and there have been lots of Cricket and Tennis fixtures and the Track and Field Cup for our athletes too – well done! The Year 12 Biologists and Drama students have also enjoyed trips in the last ten days, completing fieldwork at Wakehurst and watching a performance of one of their A Level plays.
It has been a pleasure to welcome prospective 11+ entry families to our Open Afternoon today, and they saw Roedean at its best, in the glorious sunshine. I wish you all a lovely weekend before the last week of this half-term!
Fearless Year 9s and £4850 for Raystede
Unsung heroes in the spotlight
Each week, many wonderful things happen at Roedean, about which many in the school are perhaps unaware; this section of the weekly review is dedicated to ‘unsung heroes’, in order to draw our attention to these people and remind us that our community is special.
Lara (Yr8) – for going to the Health Centre to revise for the end of year assessments with a friend [Dr Barrand]
Outstanding Junior Maths Challenge Results
Congratulations to the 31 students in Years 7 and 8 who entered the Junior Maths Challenge this year. Overall, there were 7 Bronze awards, 8 Silver awards, and 4 Gold awards.
Well done to Cindy and Isabelle (Yr8), who won Golds, but particular congratulations go to Desire in Year 7, who achieved 101, ten marks above the Gold threshold, and Elianna in Year 8,
who scored a remarkable 117, making her the Best in School! Desire and Elianna have qualified for the Junior Kangaroo Follow-On Round, which will take place on 10 June.
Well done!
Community in the Spotlight for Mental Health Awareness Week
This week has been Mental Health Awareness Week 2025. As this week’s theme is ‘Community’, our Pastoral Prefects asked students and staff to write encouraging and supportive messages and peer statements to those around them. This is particularly relevant this week, when the majority of the school are sitting assessments!
Angelica (Head of School Team – Pastoral)
Mrs Hopper
Isabella (Yr8) – for being a great friend in a tough situation. [Health Centre]
Roedean Dance Showcase
12 June 2025
You are invited to join us for a vibrant celebration of dance and talent, as students from Year 7 to 13 take to the stage in an exciting dance showcase. Get your tickets here: https://w3u.uk/roedean-dance-showcase-2025
Biology Fieldtrip to Wakehurst
Wakehurst botanical garden is the most biodiverse place on the planet and is used and managed by Kew Gardens. In the morning, the Year 12 Biologists conducted their own woodland investigation of biodiversity at Wakehurst, and compared two hazel coppice plots in Pearcelands Wood. It was a brilliant opportunity for the students to apply their knowledge of how to conduct an ecology investigation in a real field study.
After lunch and an ice cream out in the sun, we visited the Millennium Seed bank, where over 2 billion seeds have been collected from all over the world and stored in sub-zero chambers. We were shown the largest seed on Earth, the Coco de Mer, which is endemic to the Seychelles and can weigh up to 20 kilograms, which is very unusual. It is thought that the Coco de Mer experienced this phenomenon of ‘island gigantism’ due to its predator becoming extinct; growing so large was its only option to try and ensure seed dispersal and its survival.
With 2 in 5 plant species threatened with extinction, we learnt a valuable lesson in the importance of conserving the world’s plants for the future. The extinction of one species will disrupt the entire balance of the ecosystem, so the research that takes place in Wakehurst has an invaluable impact on the biodiversity of our planet and food security for future generation.
Clara enjoyed the trip: 'Last Thursday, we visited Wakehurst Place for a day to gain skills to help us in A Level Biology. The day was split into two main parts. First, we focused on learning how to sample biodiversity using quadrats, light meters, and thermometers. In the second part, we visited the Millennium Seed Bank. Although we couldn’t go down into the vaults themselves, we learned about the complex processes and challenges involved in seed conservation. One highlight for me was seeing both the world’s smallest and largest seeds, which were both amazing.'
Dr Turner
Fearless Year 9s and £4850 for Raystede
You might imagine that walking around on top of the i360 pod 138 metres above the ground, in the cool and blustery winds of the evening, might make you a bit nervous… Not if you’re one of 26 intrepid Year 9s, who casually wandered around, attached by a safety line of course, looking at the view and striking poses for the photographer.
In previous years, the Year 9s have taken on the iDrop, being lowered 160 metres from the pod to the ground. While it is brilliant, in a slightly terrifying way, it is quite short-lived, lasting only about 5 minutes. In comparison, for the Sky Walk some of the students were out enjoying the experience and the views for nearly an hour!
What a brilliant event – the girls (and staff!) loved it, and they have raised £4851 for Raystede, their year-group charity, since September! Well done, and thank you to Mrs Howson, Mr Perry, Mr McGregor, Mr Wienekus, and Mr Wilson, and, of course, to the friends and family who supported the event!
Dr Barrand
House Debating
This year’s House debate showcased some really extraordinary talent and skill in the art of politely disagreeing! The motion was ‘This House Would Replace Teachers with AI’, and all four Houses did a fantastic job of representing their allocated side.
Houses 2 and 3 proposed the motion, whilst Houses 1 and 4 opposed it. The debate opened with a clever play by Charlie, whose speech humorously advocated how ChatGPT could be relied upon to provide the guidance that would otherwise have come from teachers. As
the debate progressed, the interaction became more intense, with many points of information offered by each side; the debate eventually focused on empathy and intervention vs efficiency and availability.
Adjudication by Ms Boobis and Mr Marchant found House 4 to be the overall winners of the competition, with Scarlett and Anya (Yr10) proudly representing the value of teachers in an ever-changing educational environment. They were closely followed by House 3’s Gabriella and Emily (Yr10), whose sophisticated style and
attempts to derail the opposition stood out to all present. The House debate was also led by some novice debaters, and a huge well done to Ellie (Yr10), for her ‘incisive rebuttals’ as the final speaker of the event.
Well done to students for all the great team work, and for engaging with a very real and relevant motion.
Ms Shahab
Final Teatime
Recital of the
Year
On Tuesday afternoon, we were treated to a lovely teatime recital with some wonderful music (and also wonderful cake, thanks to the Catering team!).
The concert began with the Sull’aria duet from Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro. Sixth
Formers, Candis and Ella’s voices were beautifully matched, with each showing their own tone and character in solo lines and blending perfectly when singing together in harmony in this soaring duet.
It was lovely to hear the Harp not once but twice in the recital! Charlotte (Yr8) played with character and confidence, and her piece,
many different characters, and each time there was a change, she told us a new story with her Violin, with excellent control in the faster music and sensitive and subtle playing in the slower parts of the piece.
Noche de Fiesta (Party Night) by Alfredo Ortiz, conjured up a lively, cheerful summer evening in Spain.
Next was Satie’s Gnossienne no.1, which has a wistful and slightly melancholic sound; Coco (Yr10) conveyed this well on the Piano, as well as giving great contrast with the more dramatic sections of the piece.
Our second harp piece was played by Tilly (Yr9), the Gavotte by Bernard Andrès. She played with a lovely sound and clear melody, and her performance captured the cheerful dance feel of this music.
Julia (Yr13) gave us an extremely accomplished performance of Rachmaninoff’s Prelude in G minor. This virtuosic music demonstrated her incredibly impressive technique on the Piano, as well as her musicianship. The opening was dramatic and powerful, but then Julia was able to adjust her playing to the lyrical sound needed for the middle part of the piece, with its duet of melodies set against a rippling accompaniment. There was then a perfectly paced build-up to the dramatic finale.
Amyra commanded our attention from the start with beautifully lyrical and powerful playing in Monti’s Czardas. The music has
The concert ended with the Beatles’ Let it be, sung by the Year7&8 Singers (Holly, Anya, Maisie, Amelie, Mattie, India, Hester, Harriet, Perla, Cora, Hailey, and May). India and Hester began the song with a lovely duet – their pure, sweet sound was perfect for the opening of the song. All the singers then came together for the rest of the song in a moving rendition. It was a lovely way to finish the concert!
Thank you to all the audience for joining us, thank you to all the staff for supporting the students, and thank you and congratulations to all the performers!
Mr Rous
This Week in Boarding...
House 1 have made the most of the sunshine, taking relaxing walks around campus for a well-earned break from their studies! The boarders have enjoyed baking, and, of course, playing bingo. Junior boarders had a great outing over the weekend to Churchill Square, and quite a few girls returned to School with handfuls of shopping bags!
House 2 got competitive with an evening of Mario Kart on the Nintendo Switch, fuelled by delicious waffles and homemade bubble tea! To mark World Bee Day, the boarders got crafty making little paper bees, which will add to the spring/summer decorations in the House 2 foyer. Getting experimental and using their biology knowledge, the girls have dyed white flowers using coloured water to create a colourful floral display! It was a great surprise in the House 2 bunny runs when girls discovered a nest of baby robins – it will be lovely to watch these birds grow up and eventually fly the nest. To wish 'good luck' as they start their GCSEs, the Year 11s were gifted a mug with some 'calming' teabags and a note of encouragement written by another boarder.
House 3 run club returned, a firm favourite, especially in the good weather! Girls have enjoyed getting competitive, whether it was a game of Spoons, or a game of Cornhole out on the Quad! With the Eurovision Song Contest just round the corner, the boarders drew countries from a hat for the sweepstake – who will be victorious? To honour International Mothers' Day, the boarders hand-made and painted little clay trinkets and decorations, a beautiful gift for wonderful mothers! As always, House 3 have been busy cooking away, with girls enjoying a pasta bar and an evening of french toast, topped with crispy bacon!
House 4, the budding bakers, got to business making toasties, oozing with melted cheese, pizzas, with an array of toppings, and delicious chocolate chip cookies for all to indulge in! Big congratulations go to Scarlett and Anya, who represented House 4 in the House Debate competition and came out
triumphant – they are not ones to argue with! As the sun appears to be here to stay, the girls have enjoyed exploring the campus on a wildflower walk, creating colourful bouquets from our stunning grounds, and getting competitive for a daisy chain competition – the longest daisy chain was made of 224 daisies! As the Year 11s enter the exam season, they were gifted with a message of encouragement, written with chocolate bars! Other boarders grouped together to handmake cards with heartfelt words to spur on the Year 11s as they begin to sit their GCSE exams!
Keswick celebrated their wonderful Year 13s as they marked their last day of lessons before beginning study leave! While lessons may be over, the boarders will still be here with full access to their teachers and the chance to make the most of their final weeks at Roedean. We wish them all the very best for their exams!
Lawrence girls went to the local village and took photos for a VE celebration over the weekend. They enjoyed homemade non-alcoholic Pimm’s, with home-grown mint and rose strawberries – what a refreshing treat!
To all boarders sitting exams this summer, we wish you the best of luck!
Miss Barnett
Leading Actress BAFTA for OR Marisa
Congratulations to OR Marisa Abela, who won the Leading Actress BAFTA on Sunday, in recognition of her outstanding portrayal of the banker, Yasmin Kara-Hanani, in the third series of the BBC drama, Industry
Marisa lived in Rottingdean, and was a Drama Scholar at Roedean from 2008 to 2015. She loved performing and was often on stage during her time at School; in her final year, she performed as the main character in Tristan
and Yseult in the Roedean Theatre. She was torn between following an academic path or pursuing her acting dream. She had a place at University College London to study History and Law, but changed her mind and went to the highly-respected Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), from where she graduated in 2019.
Marisa made her television début in 2020 with leading roles in Sky One’s COBRA and the first series of the BBC2 and HBO drama, Industry.
House Tennis Brings Sunshine and Spirit to the Courts
On a sunny Friday afternoon, the school grounds came alive with energy and excitement as all four Houses gathered for the much-anticipated House Tennis Tournament. With the sun casting its glow over the courts, players from Years 10 and 12 battled it out on the upper courts, while the younger competitors showcased their talents below.
The atmosphere was electric, with a strong turn-out of enthusiastic spectators adding to the sense of occasion. Each House demonstrated
not only impressive skill, but also admirable sportsmanship and team spirit, seamlessly rotating their players to ensure everyone had their moment on court.
A heartfelt thank you goes to the House Champions, whose organisation and encouragement ensured the smooth running of the afternoon. Their leadership played a pivotal role in what proved to be a thoroughly enjoyable and memorable event for all involved.
In 2024, she starred as Amy Winehouse in Sam Taylor-Johnson’s Back to Black, to much acclaim. Her BAFTA win this year is yet another highlight in her dazzling acting career. Roedean is hugely proud of her success and particularly this accolade – what an inspiration for any aspiring stars!
Dr Barrand
1st XI Cricket Matches
The 1st XI played two home games in a week on the new cricket wicket on the main pitch.
The first game against Brighton College saw the visitors score 1819 in their 20 overs. Roedean fielded well, but bowled too many extras to keep the score much lower. We then made a slow start with the bat, but picked up the pace through Megs, Flo and Kayla, and, while they finished strongly, it wasn’t quite enough and they ended on 140-3.
The second game saw Roedean host the MCC Women for the first time in years, and those present were witness to a special innings. MCC batted first and racked up 211-8 from their 30 overs. Roedean bowled much better than the previous week but struggled a little in the field. The Roedean reply was dominated by Kayla (Yr9), who defended when necessary and scored heavily through the leg side, punishing anything short or wide.
U14A Cricket
As the game neared its conclusion, a win and a century for Kayla were both in sight. The win was elusive, and Roedean ended 3 runs short, but Kayla soared to a spectacular century in just 81 balls, and ended the game unbeaten on 115 from just 88 balls.
Scoring a century against MCC earns Kayla an invitation to Lords for one day of a Test Match, and, during one of the breaks, she will be invited onto the pitch and her score will be announced to the crowd and displayed on the scoreboard. What a fantastic experience that wil be!
Mr Smethurst
The U14As began the season with two losses and have much to work on. The first game, at Brighton College, saw Roedean concede 160-3 in 20 overs and, while Brighton had some strong batters, a total of 46 wides were bowled, gifting free runs to the opposition. The highlight was economical bowling from Yaz, Sophie, and Lily, and an outstanding run out, fielded by Lily and finished off by Sophie. In reply, Roedean crawled to 113-3, with slow scoring the scourge of the innings, and the highlight being an unbeaten 20 from Bella.
The second game, against Seaford College, saw Roedean post a competitive 158-3 in 20 overs,
with Yaz scoring 34 and Kayla an unbeaten 36. Bella took an early wicket, but that proved to be the only success of the innings for Roedean, as Seaford reached their target for the loss of one wicket with nine balls to spare. The game could and should have been so much different, however, but a string of mis-fields and nonattempts gifted runs to Seaford and exposed a nervousness that must be overcome if this group is to develop.
I wish them all well for their next matches!
Mr Smethurst
U13C Victorious
The U13C team put on a fantastic performance in their Cricket match against Hurst, showcasing teamwork, skill, and determination throughout. The team proudly voted Valerie as Captain for the day, and she rose to the occasion brilliantly, leading the pre-match preparations and keeping the energy high in the field with great communication.
Roedean batted first and, in a great show of sportsmanship, lent Hurst three players to help them field. From the first ball, we were off to a flying start. Lucy set the tone early with some superb boundary shots, while Amara impressed with her sharp decision-making and clever running between the wickets. Consistent and confident batting throughout the line-up meant we piled on the runs with style.
When it was our turn to bowl, the momentum continued. The team was on fire – Lily took
Cricket vs Hurst
several impressive catches, and we saw fantastic bowling and wicket-keeping from Ottie and Charlotte, securing key dismissals. Evelyn, Alexa, and Tilly were outstanding in the field, showing great hustle and focus that helped keep Hurst’s run count under pressure.
Hurst recognised Gracie as their Bowler of the Match for her strong performance, while our very own captain Valerie was named Batter of the Game – well-deserved!
In the end, Roedean secured a confident win with a final score of 298–254. Huge congratulations to all the players for a wellearned victory and a truly excellent team effort. Well done – what a match!
Miss Walsh
U14C
The U14C team faced Hurst in a competitive Cricket match on Monday. Paloma led the team confidently as Captain, taking charge of field placements, encouraging her teammates, and setting a positive tone throughout the game.
Our fielding performance was impressive, with players showing great energy and commitment by chasing down every ball and restricting the opposition to just 70 runs, an excellent team effort. When it was our turn to bat, there were
some stand-out shots and moments of brilliance at the crease. However, a few poor decisions led to untimely wickets, preventing us from building the partnerships we needed to secure a win.
Player of the Match awards go to Bell for her strong bowling performance and to Diya for her composed and skilful batting. Well done to the whole team for a spirited performance and continued improvement!
Miss Walsh
U13B Battle to a Win
On Wednesday, the U13B Cricket team played their second game of the season and embraced the T20 format for the first time. We lost the toss and were put into bat. This new format meant the girls were faced with batting just once, and there were hopes this might focus the team into protecting their wicket. However, the wickets seemed to tumble at regular intervals, with “bowled” being the most common form of dismissal.
Phoebe and Sophia were the joint highest scorers, managing to break into double figures. A strong final partnership of Jess and Emily helped push the total up to 117 all out in 18.5 overs. The team had a little bowling warm-up and was ready to field. Luckily, the Brighton Girls' wickets fell with similar pace, with Mabel getting 3 run outs, and the pick of the bowlers was Zara, managing only to concede 1 run off her two overs and getting 2 wickets in the final over.
Miss Kirby-Jones
U15B Improving
Roedean won the toss and chose to bat first in their hardball paired match against Hurstpierpoint. Lula and Iris opened the batting and battled through the opening three overs with some decent balls bowled, meaning we were behind from the start. Yan Yan and Ines came in next and hit some blustery blows to get us going, and they were followed brilliantly by Athena and Amber. Roedean finished on 238 in their 15 overs.
Pick of the Batters: Amber and Sophie, with 9 runs a piece
Into the field we went, ready to try and defend our total – wickets would be key and the game plan was to restrict their runs. The first few overs were all Hurst, with some big hits and good running between the wickets, so the girls needed to be ready to get some run outs. Ines bowled brilliantly – she took three wickets in her over and restricted the batter well to peg them back. Lily then came into the attack and did the same, taking two wickets in her over to try and pull us back into contention. Despite our efforts, Hurst finished their innings on 283, meaning they took the win by 45 runs.
Pick of the bowlers: Ines – 3 wickets for 3 runs in her over; and Lily – 2 wickets for 10 runs in her over
Mr Campleman
Tennis National Champs Track and Field Cup – Round 1
After breezing through the 1st round of the National Championships, we came up against Eastbourne College in the 3rd round (after a bye in 2nd round) and knew that they would be tough opponents. However, what we didn’t realise is that they finished 6th in the competition last year.
As the team can be made up from anyone in Years 7-13, it can be real pot luck as to who you will play against. We unfortunately came up against three Year 13s and one Year 11, who were incredibly good and even winning a point against them was a real challenge. However, there were some brilliant rallies and points being played and the girls gave it their all. Amelie also managed to win her singles, in what was a very good match, with lots of long rallies – it felt like it could have gone either way but she triumphed. It was the mini success of the day. It also showed the girls the potential they have to be just as good as the older girls they played. Thank you to Betsy, Ruby, Kayla, and Amelie.
Mrs Patching-Jones
Tennis Friendly vs Lingfield
Last Saturday was another beautiful day for Tennis and the second of our friendly matches this season. We were playing against Lingfield, and the format of the match was everyone playing timed 25-minute singles and 25-minute doubles.
We started with doubles and there were some really close results, for example Kayla and Lindo lost 4-3, and Honor and Coco 5-3. Lingfield took the win overall in the doubles, 8-0. We had more success in the singles with 4 wins out of 7. Kayla, Ottie, Honor, and Theodora all won their matches.
Overall, Lingfield won 16-8. Thank you to all the players, Lindo, Kayla, Coco, Faye, Ottie, Honor, and Theodora.
Mrs Patching-Jones
The Track and Field Cup at K2 was a fantastic day of competition, with our junior (Years 7 & 8) and intermediate (Years 9 & 10) teams putting in a series of impressive performances across a range of events.
Junior Team Highlights:
The junior girls got the day off to a flying start, with Amber clocking a new personal best of 29.2 seconds in the 200m, showing great speed and determination. Amber also impressed in the long jump with a leap of 4.14 metres, contributing crucial points to the team total.
Heidi battled hard in the 800m, finishing in a time of 2 minutes 52 seconds, while Maisa put in a strong and composed run to ace the 1500m, finishing well ahead of many of her competitors.
In the hurdles, both Chloe and Maddie delivered solid performances with times of 16.2 seconds and 16 seconds respectively, showing great technique and grit. Meanwhile, Mabel continued her excellent form in the 100m, placing highly and reinforcing her reputation as a consistent sprinter.
Thanks to a string of strong performances, the junior team scored a commendable 249 points – a reflection of their effort, talent, and team spirit.
Sporting Stars So Far This Term
Well done to this week's sporting stars:
We welcome contributions from all parts of the Roedean community. If you have something you would like featured in the Head’s Weekly Review, please email: aws@roedean.co.uk
In the field events, Tabitha made her debut in the shot put, showing promise and confidence in a tough discipline, marking an important step in her development as an athlete.
Intermediate Team Highlights:
The intermediate team also had a fantastic day of track and field. In the long jump, both Aminata and Georgia landed identical impressive jumps of 4.19 metres, showing just how evenly matched and skilled they are.
Izzy, tackling the 300m for the first time, stormed to a second-place finish, a brilliant debut in the event. The high jump saw confident and composed displays from both Andrea and Astrid, contributing solid points to the team total.
On the track, Sophie gave a strong performance in the 800m, pacing herself well and finishing with a powerful final stretch. Poppy excelled in the hurdles, securing second place with a determined and technical run.
The intermediate team finished with an impressive 302 points, reflecting not only individual successes but a strong team effort throughout the competition.
Well done to everyone who competed!
Miss Hayman
Year 7
Chloe, for excellent performances in the track and field cup in Hurdles and High Jump disciplines
Year 8
Amber, for superb performances in the track and field cup in 200m & Long Jump
Year 9
Kayla, for scoring an outstanding hundred not out against the MCC for the 1st XI Cricket Team
Keep it up!
Year 10
Izzy, for an unbelievable 300m sprint in the track and field cup competition
Year 12
Finya, for fantastic commitment and determination in Sea Swimming
Mr Campleman